Charles the tabby cat disappeared eight months ago from his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Last week, Chicago Animal Care and Control picked him up as a stray! No one knows how the cat traveled more than 1,300 miles, but he was identified by a microchip implanted between his shoulders. Another reason to make sure you get your pets microchipped! Read this Associated Press article to learn more!

The American Pet Product Association (APPA) recently announced the winners of its second annual National Children’s Pet Poetry Contest. The contest, which is part of APPA’s Pets Add Life Campaign, invited third-, fourth- and fifth-graders from across the country to write a unique poem about their pet(s) and the joys that they bring. Entries were received from every state in the U.S., including two from Oregon! It’s just too cute. Click here to read the winning poems. 

On April 18, Jersey City celebrated its second annual Pet Ownership Day, sponsored by Liberty Humane Society and the Jersey City Cultural Affairs Department. Activities at the event included free rabies shots and reduced-rate microchipping. The event raised over $2,500 for the shelter - a success!

So what do you think, readers? Portland might need its own Pet Ownership Day…